


That's what happened

by Alternatively



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:00:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28682205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alternatively/pseuds/Alternatively
Summary: Sometimes other people heartlessly eat your breakfast and change your life. A little beginning for Lupin and Tonks.
Relationships: Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	That's what happened

Remus was about to put his tea down in order to investigate the commotion in the hallway, when the door to the kitchen was flung open, and Tonks charged in, face pale, hair mousey. She took one look at him, made a peculiar high-pitched squeaking sound, and launched herself at him.

Remus staggered under her full weight, spilled the tea, and still staggering, was forced to drop the mug as well in order to hold on to her and avoid crashing to the floor. It all happened so fast, he didn’t have time to process the fact that he now had one hand under her thigh, and the other splayed across her shoulder blade, and the springy athleticism of her coiled around him like the tendrils of a bean plant.

Sirius, who had gone to answer the door when she’d arrived, strolled into the kitchen behind her holding a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. His dark eyes twinkled with irritating smugness.

“See,” he said, ignoring Remus’s eyebrow plea for information, “He’s perfectly fine. Got back last night, not a scratch on him.”

Remus felt something hot and wet on his neck. _Tears?_ He tried to gently suggest that she let go by loosening his grip. She clung harder.

“Padfoot?”

Sirius cleared his throat and flicked the newspaper out importantly.

“Blah, blah, blah…. something about authorities, blah blah, ok, here. _The body of a registered werewolf was pulled from the Thames last night near Gravesend. Our reporter was…_ urgh. Let’s see… nope. That’s all there is. Their reporter is crap.”

Sirius tossed the paper onto the table and helped himself to the butter dish, and half of the muffin Remus had been intending to have for breakfast.

Remus tried loosening his grip again, and this time, she did respond, uncurling enough to plant three damp, urgent kisses on the side of his face, before she let go of him completely, sniffed defiantly, and wiped her eyes.

“Sorry. Thought you might be dead.”

She pulled a chair out, sat down in it, and stole the other round of muffin.

_Baffling._

Remus cleaned up the spilled tea and put the kettle on again.

Sirius had started doing the crossword. He had an air of innocence that Remus recognised from Hogwarts; Padfoot had decided it would be best if he stayed quiet and let things unfold. That was ominous.

Tonks, having swallowed the muffin in three bites, was toasting more.

Remus couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

“Tea?”

“Yes, please,” she let out a shuddery breath, “I feel like an absolute beast. Someone is dead, but I’m just _so_ relieved it’s not you. _Urgh_. Horrible.”

“I’ll make some enquiries,” he said lightly.

“That’s not- Look.” She gave him a very strict sort of fatalistic look, as though contemplating certain doom. It looked especially strange with her hair all ordinary. “I’m just done with the bullshit, ok?”

Remus was not sure what to make of that. He added tealeaves to the pot, and watched sideways as she closed her eyes, and turned her hair a washed-out pastel pink. She ruffled it up with both hands and gave him another stern look. She’d made her eyes grey. He had a slightly prickly feeling that she’d copied his.

“I’m going to be late for work, so I have to go, but I have Thursday afternoon off, and I’m taking you out. As- as a _date_. And before you start making excuses, just don’t ok, I don’t buy them, and _you,”_ here she glared at Sirius, who was still trying to look innocent, “Don’t spook him, he’s a flight risk as it is, and _don’t_ let him weasel out of it, or I’ll- I’ll- I don’t know yet, but it’ll be _bad_. I’m blaming you if he pikes out,”

She cast Remus another defiant look, chin up, pushed a plate absolutely laden with buttery muffins at him, took the teapot off him and poured herself a cup of tea.

Surging confusion, punctuated with bolts of panic, and an odd sense of unreality swept through him. He felt a little dizzy.

“I can’t-”

“Don’t worry, Sirius will eat at least half of them,”

“Sorry?”

“The muffins. See you Thursday,” She hesitated, eyeing him carefully. She seemed to reach some conclusion or other, stole another half-muffin off the plate, and stomped out, spilling tea down her front as she went.

Her progress was marked by minor swearing, the kitchen door banging against the wall, the troll-foot umbrella stand crashing to the floor, and the heavy clunk of the door to number twelve Grimmauld Place being pulled shut.

Remus blinked.

Sirius waggled his eyebrows.

“What just happened?”

Sirius grinned a wolfish grin.

“You’ve got a date on Thursday. That’s what happened.”


End file.
